Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-10-28
LlNcoLNs SPEECH AT GETTYSBURG
Private Notes and Memoranda - The
Speech Not Received with Favor.

Speech Not Received with Favor.
day or two before the dedication Of
the National cemetery al Gettysllrg Mr.
Lincoln told mo that lie woUll be a..
pected TO make a speech on the occasion:
that he was extremely busy, with no time
for preparation and chat he greatly feared
he would not DC able 10 acquit himself
with credit, much less 10 Gil the measure
of public expectation. From his hat Uhc
usual receptacle Of his private notes and
memoranda ne drew Il PAGE Of foolscap
closely written, which he read me, first
remar6ing that il was q memorandum Of
what he had intended To say. 1t proved
to be IN substance. and think haze verha.
what was printed rs his Gettysburg
speech.
After its delivery he expressed deep re
greet that he had not prepared it with
greater care. lie said - me on the stand.
Immediately after concluding the speech.
"Lamon, that speech won't scour. 1t is
n Hat failure, and the people are Gisap.
pointed. He seemed more than orli-
narily concerned ahou, what the people
would think Of it. wa deeply impressed
by his frank and rccrctiul condemnation
of the effort, and especially by his manner
of expressing that regret; and nv own
impression was dccpcucd by the fact that
the orator OF the day, Mr. Everett. and
Mr.. Seward both conceded with Mr.. Lin
coin in his unfavor8ble view of its merits.
On the platform from viii Mr.. Lin
coin had made his address, and only a mo-
ment after It's conclusion, Mr. Seward
turned to Mr.. Everett and asked him
what he thought OF the presidents speech
Mr.. Everett replied: 1T was not what !
expected from h'm. | am disappointed. "
1 In his turn rtr Everett asked: "What
do you think II IL, Mr.. ScIard" The
response was. lie has made failure
ard am sorry for it, Ills speech is not
equal to him" Mr. ), ward then turned
to me and asked. Mr. Marshal. what do
you think Of it2n | answered: II am
sorry to say that it does not impress me
as one of his great speeches"
In the face Of these facts il has been
repeatedly published that this speech was
received with great eclat by the audience
that amid the tears, sobs and cheers il
produced in the excited throng, the orator
of the day, Mr. Everett. turned impul-
sively TO Mr.. Lincoln, Craspcd his hand
and exclaimed I congratulate You or
your success adding in a transport OF
heated enthusiasm: All, Mr. President.
how gladly would / give my hundred
pages to be the author Of your twenty
lines"
All this unworthy gush, It is needless
TO say, is purely apocryphal Nothing Of
the kind occurred. As q matter Of fact,
Mr.. Lincoln's great Gettysburg speech
FELL on the vast audience like n wet
blanket. At that time his reputation was
tonfessedly on the wane The politicians
# the country--those OF his own party
together with large part OF the press
were casting about for an available raadi.
fate to be his successor. while a great
majority Of the people were for him. |
tate it US fact, and without fear Of con-
radiction, that this famous Gettysburg
peech wis not received or commented
Upon with anything like hearty favor
~ the people, the politicians or the press
the United States until after the
cath OF It's author Its marvellous per-
ectfon, its intrinsic excellence as n master
6ece OF English composition, seem to have
Escaped the scrutiny Of the most scholarly
.itics and the wiscsf heads Of the day, on
nis side Of the Atlantic That discovery
las made, we must fcggetfully own, by
distinguished writers on the other side
he London Spectator The saturday Re
Jew, The Edinburgh Review and other
4lropean journals were the first 10 dis
{ver, or nj least TO proclaim. the ciassical
lerits Of the Gettysburg speech. II was
ven that we began 10 realize that it was
Heed masterpiece, and 10 then dawned
bon many minds that we had entertained
angel unawaTeS who had left us unap
'eciated. -Ward II. Lannon's Letter.